


A Kind of Inattention

by empathy_junkie



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Drabble, Friends bonding, Other, Short, avoiding questions, idk man i love these two, kind of, mikami needs a nap, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-04 14:05:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12772635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empathy_junkie/pseuds/empathy_junkie
Summary: from tumblr; Mikami and Takada on the way to one of their platonic dinner dates





	A Kind of Inattention

There was always inexplicable tension between them when they sat together in a cab. Perhaps it was because seating arrangements required that they sit closer together than they usually did, or the fact that the back of a moving vehicle at 9:30 in the evening was a rather dark, rather quiet place. Kiyomi's cheeks were colored pink from the recent snub she had received from him â€“ having forgotten to open the door for her, Teru had, instead, entered the cab first and she had been forced to follow him, but she had to laugh at herself for expecting trivial social customs to be on the prosecutor's mind. No, it was the weariness that had begun to settle over her ever since she had become _more_ than NHN's second-ranking news anchor. The anticipation, the gravitas, kept her awake.

And, at times, the fear.

Kiyomi bathed herself in death every day, yet that did not make her a friend of the anomaly. There were times when she looked to the right and left of her and felt that she held the lives of humanity between her fingers, but there was nobody to hold her own - to safeguard it. Perhaps that job fell to her god, himself, and the silent man in the cab beside her. She yawned, suddenly. In the mood for a light topic to ease her mind, she began,

"You don't sleep much, do you Mikami?"

A muscle pulsed in his neck and Teru turned to face her, brows marginally contracted.

"You don't look rested," Kiyomi explained. "Even in this light, I can tell."

A strange look of acceptance came over his face, and he looked forward, through the partition, and the windshield, and the world outside. "We're public servants, Takada; our work is more than a part-time occupation. But I think I get adequate rest."

Could he, considering how Kira's standard was spreading throughout the world? Could he sleep, in the face of such momentous progress? She recalled the intensity with which he reiterated his ideals. Could he sleep? Or, perhaps he was using the night hours for a pursuit akin to hers.

"Hm," Kiyomi rejoined, simply. Without dropping the conversation, she spread her hand in front of her, eyes scanning the curvature of her nails, and urged, "But you leave your office at nine o'clock. What occupies the rest of your time?"

"Work," he replied without missing a beat.

Kiyomi grinned.

"I don't usually allow people to avoid my questions, but for you, I'll make an exception," she demurred, resting her shoulders against the back of the seat.

Yet as she happened to glance at him, she noticed a remarkable change had overcome his tense features. His eyes were lit with satisfaction and his jaw was set, as if to prevent damning words from escaping from it.

"Work takes many forms, though," she sat up again and spoke in a plainer tone. "My time is spread out across several avenues, but there'll all under the general header of 'work related'. I was just curious."

He returned her glance.

"I understand."

Teru faced forward again, sparring Kiyomi one last glance.

Her form was blurred by his now redundant lenses; her lifespan was blurred as well, giving her a blood-red halo.

In truth, Teru had wondered, if only once, what it would be like to tell another human being of his position, rather, to tell the one human being who would understand the implications. Living in the knowledge of god, under his direction, as his chosen executor had begun to cause a change in him. Though he had struggled to understand the pettiness and weakness of humanity even before recognizing his god's appearance, now he could feel a greater sense of differentiation grip his soul.

He was entirely alienated, yet he allowed her to sit beside him. Takada was nothing shy of a rarity.

And yet, Teru could not lose his sense of vigilance. He had threatened Kiyomi with death once before. He wondered if he would have to do it a second time. But it was unlikely; god was watching over her. His path was uncomplicated, and it was moving steadily forward.

And he hadn't been sleeping.


End file.
